Your Travel Experience with Finest Journeys
Village Experience and Polonnaruwa
Begin your morning with a tuk-tuk ride to Hiriwaduna Lake for an authentic Sri Lankan village experience. Glide across the tranquil waters by boat, surrounded by farmland and native birdlife of the dry zone. Learn about traditional farming practices such as slash-and-burn cultivation and discover how local crops are grown and harvested. Continue by bullock cart to a village home, where you can see how rice and curry are prepared in clay pots over a wood fire. Enjoy a home-cooked meal served on a lotus leaf, offering an authentic taste of rural Sri Lanka and its community traditions. In the afternoon, visit Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka’s second ancient capital and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This well-preserved archaeological city is home to the Parakrama Samudra reservoir, the Quadrangle, and the Gal Vihara with its detailed rock-cut Buddha statues. Other highlights include the Lankathilaka Temple, the Lotus Bath, and remnants of ancient palaces and monasteries. Walking through Polonnaruwa provides an impressive look at the city’s urban planning, religious monuments, and craftsmanship, reflecting its role as a centre of power and culture during Sri Lanka’s medieval period. The site remains one of the country’s most important destinations for history and heritage travel.